In many developed cities, pink helmets and women cycling might be a familiar site, but this cannot be said of many countries around the world. In fact, according to recent studies, about 24% of all bike trips made in the U.S are by women. Other countries such as Germany have an even bigger margin of 49%. Although it’s clear that popularity among women riding has grown, there’s still a long way to go before women totally embrace cycling.
Regardless, cycling is one of the most fulfilling, fun and rewarding sports- no matter your age or level of activity. It comes with endless benefits for any woman. If you are weighing up cycling against other potential physical activities, then you should consider the following benefits of cycling as a woman.
It improves Your Mental Wellbeing
Just like any other sports, cycling is instrumental in improving your general mental wellbeing. Ideally, there are myriad ways that exercise can boost your mood. First, there’s the basic release of adrenaline and endorphins. Additionally, you get to experience improved confidence that is associated with achieving new things such as getting closer to your cycling goals.
Keep in mind that cycling combines physical exercise with being outdoors and exploring new sights. You can either explore attire solo, thus giving you ample time to process what weighs you down. Alternatively, you can decide to ride with a group and broaden your social circle.
It Strengthen your Immune System
This benefit is particularly important during today’s global Covid-19 pandemic. Typically, riding, just like any other form of exercise, comes with huge benefits to the health precisely the upper respiratory system. This goes a long way in improving your immune system and reducing instances of common cold.
Since cycling is an aerobic exercise, women are able to knock down about 40% of their exercise on most days of the week. This means that riding alone is able to supplement up to 40% of your weekly exercise related health benefits which is a long way to go in boosting your immune system.
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It acts as an Energy boosted
Although an intense round of cycling may seem tiring, it is actually a great way to boost your energy. Essentially, cycling works effectively by building your stamina and making you fitter in the long run. At the same time, cycling helps in decreasing fatigue by triggering your brain to produce neurotransmitters known as dopamine, which in turn release energy.
Even so, it’s important to ride at your own pace as a woman. Whether you are a pro or a beginner at cycling, there is no hurry to build your stamina or boost your energy. Consistently increase your pace and distance slowly.
Cycling improves your joints
It’s common knowledge that the bone density in a woman’s body decreases rapidly with age. The good news is that you can save your joints by cycling. Remember that cycling involves moving almost all your joints including ankles, knees, waist, wrist and elbows. Movement of these muscles goes a long way in keeping your muscle joints fit and active always. This way, you will be able to do away with different lifestyle conditions such as blood pressure and LDL cholesterol.
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It’s Good for Your Heart
One of the best things about cycling is that it’s a great way to maintain your cardiovascular fitness. Generally, cycling plays an integral role in reducing your risk of heart disease and improving blood circulation within your body. When you reach a particular heart rate and are comfortable with your controlled breathing pattern, you can rest assured that cycling has worked well on your body.
It can Protect you Against breast Cancer
Breast cancer is a rampant health condition among women today. Although there are different medical remedies to fight against this devastating health condition, studies show that particular physical activities such as cycling can lower risk of breast cancer. Overall, women who are physically active all through their post-menopausal phase might also have a lowered risk of getting breast cancer.
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Safety Tips While Cycling
Contrary to common belief, cycling is a fun and safe physical activity that comes with a lot of benefits. While this is the case, your safety can only be as air tight as how cautious you are. The following tips will help you ride safely and fully reap the benefits of cycling. Read on to find out.
Wear a helmet
One of the most important safety tools in cycling is a helmet. Typically, a helmet is a good way to protect you against any injuries. However, keep in mind that a helmet can’t be 100% guaranteed to save your life, but it’s always going to give you better odds of avoiding injuries in the event that you fall. You as well look into airbags for your bike. Check out our recommended list of the Best Smart Cycling Helmets.
Wear Tight and bright Clothing
Whatever a cyclist wears matters a lot. Unlike motorcycles, cycling requires that you wear clothes that fit well. Additionally, it comes highly recommended that you wear bright as can easily be seen by other cyclists and drivers. This is especially important at dusk, night and dawn. Your clothes can either have reflectors on it or be bright in color.
Avoiding loose clothing that could be caught in the bicycle is also important. Both long pants and sleeves are important for protecting against scrapes but they should fit tightly. You can consider wearing knee and below pads in warmer weather to prevent bruising in case of an accident.
Related: Does Cycling Burn Fat on thighs?
Know and Maintain the Rules of the Road
Knowing the rules of the road is merely rough. You should ensure to strictly maintain these rules at all times. Keep in mind that cyclists are considered as vehicles wherever they are rigid on the street. Therefore, it’s important to learn about all the rules of the road and follow them as a motorist. Common rules to keep i mind are:
- Always obey all traffic lights, signals and signs
- Use hand signals
- Never ride against the flow of traffic
- Look both ways before crossing the street.
It’s important to keep in mind that following road rules will mean the difference between you getting injured and getting to your destination well. Therefore, if you don’t know the rules of the road, ensure to avoid cycling on motorways.
Conclusion
Generally, cycling is a very versatile sport. You can decide to cycle intensely or as relaxing as you want it to be. Depending on your needs, you should always choose rigid as your physical exercise option as a woman.